Aegis of The Gods: Book 00 - The Shadowbearer by Terry C. Simpson

spouting up until they blocked off any possible retreat. For the first time Stefan also noted the sense of motion that persisted inside the Travelshafts had come to a complete stop. The sensation was as if the entire world paused and waited for a command.
    “Point taken,” Stefan said aloud. Under his breath he said, “Should they do anything to me, fight to the death.”
    “Yes, sir,” both men replied solemnly.
    Stefan exhaled, let his bow drop to the ground, and strode forward. He refused to unsheathe his sword. A measure of command was necessary. Feet crunching on smaller portions of rubble, he picked his way through the rock chips and debris littering the floor until he found a clear path along the metal tracks. As he strode to the Svenzar, he kept his back straight, his chest out and paced himself with an easy grace. In this situation, he would show no fear.
    When he drew within a dozen feet of the creature, Stefan realized the fissures and cracks on its body did form lines and patterns. In fact, they appeared to be more like tattoos. He strained his eyes and was able to pick out images of men, creatures he’d never seen before, landscapes, scenes of great battles, and sparkling celestial bodies. The intricacy of the artwork made him gasp. Even the murals along the walls in the Royal Palace paled by comparison. This was the first time he ever witnessed such a vibrant tapestry.
    “I have watched you and your people for years.” The Svenzar’s voice was softer now, more musical than before, and conversational.
    Stefan stopped. The Svenzar’s stoneform body stretched so high Stefan needed to crane his neck to peer into its face. Up close, the tattoos wormed and shifted. They gave off the impression the men and creatures watched his every move. “Why?”
    The Svenzar chuckled. “So impatient your race is. You often want answers to questions you already know and to those well beyond you. It must be a trait of having a shorter life span.”
    “If I knew the answer I wouldn’t ask.”
    With a sigh that drifted upon the windless air, the creature said, “I have monitored you because you shape the future. Your decisions and choices affect all around you.”
    “Isn’t that the same for everyone?” Stefan frowned. The conversation somehow felt off, a little odd.
    “Yes, but for your kind more so than any other. Look at what your conquering of Ostanian lands has done. In Granadia you have changed the life patterns of countless millions.”
    “I almost get the sense you aren’t pleased,” Stefan said.
    “Upheaval, instability, fates in constant change ….” The Svenzar cocked its head. Boulders fell from its face in a rumble, but when they struck the shoulders and chest, they clung as if snagged in mud and were absorbed into its body. “I would not say I am not pleased … more … concerned. Such events take thousands of years to occur among the Svenzar. For you, it takes hundreds.”
    Stefan shrugged. “So is this the reason you hindered my passage? To inquire about my race and how we live?”
    “No. I am here to give you a choice to change the course your people are set upon.”
    “My people? The Setian?”
    “Who else could I mean?”
    “I’m not sure. For a moment there I got the strange sense you meant all of Denestia.”
    The Svenzar smiled, mouth a maw of jagged stone teeth.
    “So what’s this choice,” Stefan asked. “My people’s future has never been brighter.” He focused on the creatures eyes, trying his best not to cringe as the mouth eased shut.
    “I would disagree about the future, but arguing is pointless. We need you to serve the Svenzar. In so doing you serve your people.”
    Stefan gave a cynical chuckle. He shook his head at the absurdity of the Svenzar’s statement. “Even if I considered such a thing … not that I am … why would I want to serve you?” He brought his hand up with the thumb and forefinger almost touching. “We were this close to defeating you and the